The Town FilesKaplan, Louisiana
City in Vermilion Parish · population 4,352 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $156,200
- Household income
- $40,109
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 39.3
Kaplan is a city of 4,352 people in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $156,200, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Louisiana towns, hipper than 96% of Louisiana towns, more walkable than 85% of Louisiana towns.
How Kaplan ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kaplan is worth $156,200, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $40,109, which is more affordable than 21% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $826 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kaplan | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,200 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $826 | $887 |
| Median household income | $40,109 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kaplan
| People | Kaplan | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.2% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.9% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.3% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.1% | 84.6% |
Weather in Kaplan
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 40.8°F. About 64.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 10 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kaplan since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on January 31, 1983 about 1.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 72 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 10, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on April 7, 2003.
Severe weather in Vermilion Parish since 1996
Vermilion Parish has been included in 46 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
| August 27, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3568: Tropical Storm Ida |
Jobs and pay in Vermilion Parish
Vermilion Parish had 12,560 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,191 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Kaplan itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Public schools in Kaplan
3 public schools with 1,515 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaplan Elementary School | PK-4 | 569 | 15.4 |
| Kaplan High School | 9-12 | 550 | 18.3 |
| Rene A. Rost Middle School | 4-8 | 396 | 13.7 |
Towns near Kaplan
- Abbeville, LA9.6 mi · 11,186 people · home $97,300
- Milton, LA14.9 mi · 2,590 people · home $264,800
- Crowley, LA15.6 mi · 11,710 people · home $144,900
- Rayne, LA16.2 mi · 7,236 people · home $156,500
- Youngsville, LA18.3 mi · 15,929 people · home $287,700
- Scott, LA19.7 mi · 8,119 people · home $170,300
- Lafayette, LA20.6 mi · 121,374 people · home $257,000
- Broussard, LA21.6 mi · 13,417 people · home $310,200
Kaplan questions
Is Kaplan, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kaplan scores better for retirees than 68% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 13%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Kaplan?
The median owner-occupied home in Kaplan is valued at $156,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,109, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $826 a month.
What is the weather like in Kaplan?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 40.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Kaplan get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kaplan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on January 31, 1983. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)